I’ve written about Zilla Rocca before. His day job is Prez and co-founder of Beat Garden Entertainment (which, with Yadibox, is the home of Nico the Beast and 2ew Gunn Ciz), a hip-hop producer, and a rapper in his own right. He’s also just released his first solo mixtape. And, of course, it’s hot.

There’s some real skilled production work, like the Terminator X style track, “Flow God Zilla,” which is mostly samples and a wall of noise; and lots of skilled rhyming; Zilla and Nico team-up and kill it on “Raw to the Floor.” Zilla shows versatility, too, slowing up on “All Feast No Famine,” rapping over strings, and on the crazy funny “Sunbathing Bitches.” There’s lots of guest spots here, but every verse is tight—no filler. There’s a few tunes here I’ve heard before, on his myspace releases (which are generous and frequent).

Don’t be misled by the fact that he’s calling it a mixtape. It’s more like a street album: Tight, well-put together, no annoying DJ shout-outs, and excellent production. (It’s a mixtape because Zilla jacks beats and bytes from artists like Marvin Gaye, DJ Premier, RZA, Kanye West Dilla.) The overall quality, length, and feel of the release makes me wonder what he held back for his upcoming record, Fall Back Friday.

Oh. And it’s got great art, to. Check it:

Get it at various locations, like here and here.

Nada-Zilla with Nex Millen

Sunbathing Bitches w/Mally from the 612.

Bonus:

This is a fresh mixtape track from the best rapper out of Texas, Scarface, dissing Rick Ross.

WHERE IS BERKELEY PLACE?

Berkeley Place is also 6 blocks of Brooklyn real estate, emerging from Sackett St. and ending at Banana Hill, a small park that grows a foot each year from accumulated dog poop and dead rats. Though its denizens have gotten wealthier over the decades, Berkeley Place still houses folks of all backgrounds with interests in, well, everything.